Well construction



Aug. 13, 1940.

c. c. CHRISTIAN WELL CONSTRUCTION Original Filed April 30, 1936 ,7 f, z/ 7 4 ZZ L l l( /5 E\ Z0 2l b lo; l'

l t Z 4 5 17 d. 5 J f 2a f o o o o l o o o O i o o o o 93M;

latentedAug. 1352-1940 l f v UNITED STATES:A PATENT OFFICE zeugnisA Carl C. Christian, Victoria, Tex.

Appuomon apra so, 193s, semi No. '11,242 Renewed May 26, 1939 l 11 claims. Ici. isc-1i This invention relates to a well construction -restl on the seat I and is provided with an inlet opand comprehends also the method employed. yening I controlled by the upwardly opening valve An object of the invention is to provide means 9. The lower end of the barrel 1 also has the outand a method for completing a well in such manlet openings Il above the seat 3. l

'-5 ner that the formation supposed to contain oil The'upper end of the barrel telescopes within or gas can be readily tested to ascertain the conthe lower end of the operating string II which tents of a formation. extends to the ground surface and has an ex` The apparatus is specially designed for use in ternal annular flange I2 thereon which is conan open hole whose walls adjacent the formafined between the upper and lower inside shoultion to be tested are of a caving nature and is ders I3 and Il. There are the inwardly curved lo provided for the purpose of supporting the walls fiat springs I5, I5 whose upper ends are secured and preparing, what may be properly termed, to the inside of the barrel and whose lower ends an artificial rat hole for receiving and supporting are outwardly turned forming the latches I6, I6 a conventional type of testing tool when it is dewhich project outwardly through suitable bear- 15 sired to run the tool for making a test of the ings in the barrel and whose outer ends seat in formation thought to contain oil. the sockets I1, I1 in the wall of the guide where- It is another object of the invention to provide by the wall support and guide may be ir terlocked a method whereby the walls of the bore may be with the barrel 1.

2 reinforced above the producing stratum to pre- There is a tubular release sleeve I8, fitted withvent the caving thereof to the end that a testing in the barrel 1 and whose lower end is provided tool may be lowered into the artificial rat hole with slots I9, I9 with which said springs I5 regand a seal formed between the testing tool and ister. The springs I5 are inwardly curved the walls of the rat hole at the upper end there- Dthrough said slots and there are transverse reof and a successful test made. lease bars 20, secured to opposite sides of It is a further object of the invention toprothe release sleeve I8 on the inside which ex- 25 vide apparatus whereby the method may be cartend transversely through the inwardly curved ried out. springs I5 as shown in Figures 1 and 2.

With the above and other objects in view the The upper end Of the Sleeve I8 is reduced and invention has particular relation to certain novel formed with a seat 2| and the barrel 1 has the features of construction, operation and arrangeside outlet ports 22 adjacent the upper end of ment of parts and to a novel method, an example vthe guide l and which are spaced above the seat of which will be described in this specification 2| and fOr a purpose t0 be hereinafter explained. and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, The apparatus may be assembled as shown in wherein: Figure 1 and lowered into the well bore as a unit Figure 1-shows a vertical sectional view of the until the Wall suppOlt lands 0n the bOttOm 0f 35 apparatus employed, partly broken away and the bore. The slip joint connection between the shown located in a Well bore in readiness to re- IOWeI end 0I the Operating string II and the barceive and apply the cement. rel 1 will permit the string to be lowered in- Figure 2 shows a fragmentary sectional view dependent'of the barrel until the lower end of teken at right angles to the view shown in Fiethe string rests on the seat 6, as shown in Fie- 40 ure 1, and ure 3, so that the weight of the string may be Figure 3 shows a vertical sectional view of the employed to force the lower end .of the support apparatus located in the well bore with the cefirmly against the bottom 0f the bore and so ment applied, showing the string detached and that the ports 22 will be closed. ready to be withdrawn. Plastic cement may then be introduced into Referring now more particularly to the drawthe string at the ground surface and a suitable ing wherein like numerals of reference designate plug 23 placed 111 the Upper end 0f the String in the same parts in each of the figures, the numeral the usual Way and OIeed dOWnWardly by fluid I designates a tubular perforated support which under pressure. The plastic cement will be forced is designed to be lowered to the lower endof downwardly ahead 0f the plus and will enter the 5o the bore 2. This support is provided with an barrel 1 and pass out through the openings IIi internal annular seat 3 and is extended upwardand 5 into the space surrounding the guide 4 ly above said seat forming the tubular guide 4 and will be supported on the drilling fluid in the which is provided with the side outlets 5 above bore beneath, as shown in Figure 3, and will pass the seat 3. These outlets are controlled by the up around said guide permeating the caving 55 outwardly opening, yieldably mounted valves 5a. formation around the bore and forming a sub- The upper end of the guide is preferably ared stantial wall to maintain the formation. forming a seat 6.' When the plug 23 lands on the seat 2I the con- Fitted closely within the guide I there is a tinued pressure will force the release sleeve I8 tubular barrel 1 whose lower end is tapered to downwardly and the cross bars 20 will engage the 6o lower ends of the springs I and retract the latches I6 inwardly, releasing them from the guide 4. The upper end of the plug will clear the ports 22 and the string I I may then be slightly 5 elevated to lift its lower end oir of the seat 6 and water may then be forced downwardly through the string and out of the ports 22 to wash out the excess cement above said ports. Thereupon the string II, the barrel 1, with the cement remaining therein, and the release sleeve I8 may be withdrawn as a unit from the well, leaving the cement around the guide 4 to set.

An artificial rat hole will thus be provided and when the cement has may be run into the bore and lowered into the wall support I with its packer seated on the seat 6 to form a fluid tight joint and to exclude the drilling fluid above contents of the formation in which the support I is set may be then made.

The wall support including the upwardly extending guide 4 may be formed of cementitious u'iatcrial, Bakelite, cast aluminum or other fransiblc or drillable material, so that in case the test does not show the presence of oil the support may be readily drilled out and the bore deepened.

The drawing and description disclose what is now considered to be a preferred form of the invention by way of illustration only, while the broad principle of the invention will be dened by the appended claims. f

What I claim is:

l. Apparatus of the character described comprising a wall support having inlets and provided with a seat above the' inlets, a guide above the support, a barrel in and detachably secured to the guide, said barrel and guide having outlet openings above the seat and releasable means for interlocking the barrel with the guide.

2. Apparatus of the character describedK comprising a wall support having inlets and provided with a seat above seat, a barrel in rel with the guide and means adapted to be actuated by pressure exerted through the string and effective to release said interlocking means.

3.h Apparatus of the characterl described comlets above the seat, slip joint connection with the upper end of the barrel, releasable means for connecting the bar- 50 rel to the guide, means to be actuated by i'luid thoroughly set a testing tool and an accurate test of theY exerted through the string and effective on downward movement to release the connecting means to permit Withdrawal of the barrel from the guide.

5. In apparatus of the character described a wall support adapted to be located in the bottom of a well,

seat. 6. An artificial support for the walls of a well an outlet immediately above the seat.

'7. Apparatus of the character described comcementitious material, a tubular barrel shaped to be fitted within said wall support and having a lower outlet for cementitious material and an upper outlet above said support, releasable means for connecting the barrel to the support, a tubular ranged to clear said upper outlet port upon downward movement of the plug, the operating string being movable to another position to open said upper outlet port.

8. Apparatus of the character described'comprising a wall support having inlets and provided with a seat above the inlets, a guide above the wall support, a barrel in and detachably secured to the guide, said barrel and guide having outlet openings above the seat.

9. Apparatus of the character described comprising a wall support having inlets and provided with a seat above the inlets, a guide above the wall support, a barrel in and detachably secured to the guide, said barrel and guide having outlet openings above the seat, and said guide having spring controlled valves controlling the said outlets.

CARL C. CHRISTIAN. 

